By Kathleen Stack, MD, DFAPA
At the last Change of the Watch Ceremony on 6 FEB 2022, Past PSV President, Dr. Jose Edwin Nieves, and United Coast Guard Auxiliarist received the USCG AUX Commendation Medal and the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Medal.
Dr. Nieves assisted in USC Coast Guard response to a serious injury of a sailor aboard a commercial Mexican vessel underway in the Pacific. This mission lasted over 4 days and involved coordination with United States Air Force “para-jumpers”, liaison with Mexico Naval Command and Control Center in Mexico City, US State Department and other US and Mexican Agencies, to secure permission to enter Mexican waters, airspace, and the expeditious care on the injured sailor and the extraction of the US personnel.
I would add to the official report above that this happened over the Thanksgiving Holiday. He translated for the men on the container vessel, the official physician of the cargo transport in Mexico and the State Department of Mexico to the Air Force, the physicians and para-jumpers and the USCG. He also helped arrange US access to Mexican air space and permission to get the para-jumpers home for the holiday.
